Milking-machine.



A. TRUCHOT. MILKING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED APR.3,1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS'SHEBT 1.

.Tfi "F g 32 F 1 W 3% WITNESSES INVENTOR /exa/7aer Vac/70f ATTORNEYS A.TRUCHOT. MILKING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILED n.3, 1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTQR fl/exander Fae/70f monm's ALEXANDER TRUCHOT, OF CHOTEAU,MONTANA.

M ILKING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23,1915.

' Application filed April 8, 1914. Serial No. 829,243.

Y To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER TRIICHOT, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Choteau, in the countyof Teton and'State of Montana, have made certain new and usefulImprovements in Milking- Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in milking machines and it consistsin the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein describedand claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide adevice by means of which themilking of a cow may be accomplished rapidly andeconomically and with nodanger of injuring the animal.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form ofmilkingmachine in which the apparatus i of simple construction and lightweight, and is adjustable so as to permit the movement of the animalduring the milking operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a milking machine inwhich the milking operation closely simulates that of manual operation.This I accomplish by means of a novel form of device having certaincharacteristic features as hereinafter described.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specificationand the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part ofthis application in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the device inoperation, Fig. 2 is a perspective .detail view of the cylinders whichform part of the apparatus, Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the majorportion of the device, Fig. 4,is a section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 5 is a section along theline 55 of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a perspective view partly in section of oneof the cyl nder linings, Fig. 7 'is a view of an adjustable holdingmember for securing the milking machine in position, Fig. 8 is a viewpartly in section of a modified form of the device, and Fig. 9 is a faceview of a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

In carrying out my invention I provide a frame portion consisting of anupper strip 1 (see Fig. 2) having downwardly extendside members 2 and 3respectively and a bottom member 4. The frame contains a looped portion5 (see Figs. 1 and '2) in which is journaled a driving gear 6, the shaft7 of the driving gear forming one of a pair of telescopic members, theother portion of the shaft 8 being connected. to a drive pulley 9through the medium of two universal joints 10.

The bottom member 4 forms a support for a central post 11, which extendsupwardly, and which is secured to the frame member 1. Rotatably mountedupon the central post 11 is a friction wheel 12, which is provided withgear teeth 13 arranged to mesh with the driving gear or pinion 6. Aplate 14 is rigidly mounted on the central support 11 and at its endsare journaled beveled gears 15 having friction surfaces 16 arranged toengage the friction wheel 12. The beveled gears 15 in turn engagebeveled gears such as those shown at 17, these latter gears beingsecured on individual shafts 18 which are journaled at their upper endsin a cover plate 19. This cover plate is designed to extend over thetops of a plurality of cylinders 20 which are concentric with the shafts18.. Ordinarily there are four of these cylinders. A description of onewill suffice since they are all alike. The cylinders may be made of anysuitable material and are hollow, as shown. Each is provided on itsouter side, 2'. e., that part away from the other cylinders with ahinged door 21 which may be locked to the main body portion by a hook 22or any other suitable locking means. One corner of this door ispreferably'cut away, as shown at 23 to permit the passage of a flexibletube 2.4, when the door is closed. Each of the shafts is provided with aspiral flange 25 made like an auger blade except, of course, that theflange has no sharp corners, but is rounded in such a manner that itsaction, as hereinafter explained will not be injurious.

As well be seen from Figs. 5 and 6 there is a resilient or flexiblemember 26, which virtually forms a partition between the main bodyportion of the cylinder and that part immediately adjacent to the door21. This flexible or resilient lining it will be observed extends inclose contact and is secured to the inner side of the door.

The plate 19, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

,' is cut away at 27 for the purpose of admitting the t'eats of the cow.Each of the cylinders 18 is designed to containa teat-cup 28 which ismade of resilient material such as rubber or the like and whichcommunicates with the tube 24.

The milking machine is provided with a hinged support 29, the lowerendof which is provided with an extension 30 to which is attached theframe member 1, as shown in Fig. 1. The member 29 is designed toencircle the under portion of the body of the cow and may be opened upto accommodate animals of various sizes.

Any suitable means may be used to support the milking machine, but Iprefer to make use of the device set forth in Fig. 1. This consists of aresilient member such as a piece of blanket 31 arranged to go over theback of the cow and having straps 32 some of which are secured tothemember 29, the others being passed rearwardly and downwardly andbeing secured to an car 33 on the frame.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device theoperation thereof may be readily understood.

In securing the machine to the animal the doors 21 are opened, theteat-cups are placed over the teats of the cow and the doors are closedin such a manner that the teats project through the openings 27. Thedoors 21 are now locked in position. Power is applied to the motor 9 andthe friction disk 12 is caused to revolve through the medium of theshaft 7, gear 6 and gear 13. This will cause the revolution of thefriction wheels 16 and the turning of the shafts 18 through the mediumof the beveled gears 15 and 17. These shafts 18 are. turned in such adirection that the spiral flanges will press against the resilientpartitions 26, thus squeezing the teat between the spiral flange and thedoor 21. As the spiral blade revolves the point of engagement of theblade with the teat will move downwardly toward the end of the teat,thereby simulating the manual operation of milking. The milk will beforced out of the teat-cup and through the tube 24 into the receptacle34.

It often happens that a cow in being milked will move rearwardlv and inorder to permit this movement without interfering with the operation ofthe device I provide the telescopic shaft members 7 and 8. The universaljoints in the shaft 8 are for the purpose of permitting an inclinationof the shaft in various directions. It may happen that the hind teats ofthe cow are shorter than the front, or vice versa. and in either casethe machine must be tilted. The

provision of the universal joints permits the tilting of the machinewithout interfering with its operation.

The particular purpose of the partition 26 is to prevent any iniury tothe animal by the spiral blade since there is no possibility of the teatbeing torn by the spiral blade as it only contacts with the flexibleparti-o tion. I"

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a modification of the device in whichthere is an earlike extension 35 above'each cylinder which is arrangedto fit up close to the udder. The purpose of these ears is to press theudders at all times while. the milking is going on, in order to helphold the teats in the-same position as tliey a g e e in when the udderswere full of milled A device constructed in, accordance with thisinvention forms a simple yet effective means of mechanical milking. Therevolving spiral flanges, as has been before stated, simulate the manualoperation of milking as nearly as possible. V

The device can' be easily deta'ched; and: being light of weight can betransported.

I claim: a

1. In a milking machine, a receptaclehav-v with an opening in its ing a.door provided bottom. means for locking the door, said re ceptaclehaving an opening in its top for admitting a teat of the animal, a teatcup, a resilient tube connected therewith at .the bottom, said tubepassing through" the opening of the door, 'a resilient partition withinsaid casing, a central'shaft, a spiralrbla'cle disposed upon saidcentral shaft,-and means for turning said central shaft.

2. In a milking machine, arecept acle having a. door provided with anopening in its bottom, means for locking ceptacle having an opening inits top for admitting the teat of the animal, a teat-cup, a' resilienttube connected therewith atthe bottom. said tube passing through theopening of the door, a resilient partition within said casing. acentral, shaft, a spiral blade disposed upon said central shaftmeansforturning said central shaft, said spiral blade being arranged to engagesaidrresilient partition initially at the top thereof and to exertpressure progressively downward as the blade is turned, thereby pressingthe teat and the teat-cup against the door.

3. In a milking machine, a plurality of cylinders, each havingahingeddoor. means for locking the'door, each of said cylinders being providedwith: an opening. in its top for admitting the teat of the animal,a-teatcup, a resilient partition disposed within each cylinder, acentral shaft. spiral blade carried by said central shaft and arrangedto engage said resilient partition, and means for simultaneously turningthe shafts of each of said cylinders in the same direction. v I

4. In a milking machine. aplnrality of cvlinders, each having a hingeddoor, means for locking the door, each of said cylinders being providedwith an opening in its top. for admitting theteat of the animal, a teat-.cup, a resilient partitiondisposed within the door, said re-- eachcylinder, a central shaft, a spiral blade carried by said central shaftand arranged to engage said resilient partition, means forsimultaneously turning the shafts of each of said cylinders in the samedirection, said last named means comprising beveled gears carried at thebottom of each of said shafts, an individual drivin gear arranged tomesh with each of said rst named beveled gears, and a friction disk inengagement with the edges of each of said driving gears.

5. In a milking machine, a plurality of cylinders, each having a hingeddoor, means for locking the door, each of said cylinders being providedwith an opening in its top for admitting the teat of the animal, atentcup, a resilient partition disposed within each cylinder, a centralshaft, a spiral blade carried by said central shaft and ar- Coplea ofthis patent may be obtained for five cents each,

Washington,

ranged to engage said resilient partition, means for simultaneouslyturning the shafts of each of said cylinders in the same direction, saidlast named means comprising beveled gears carried at the bottom of eachof said shafts, an individual drivin gear arranged to mesh with each ofsaid rst named beveled gears, a friction disk in engagement with theedges of each of said driving gears, means for driving said frictiondisk, said means comprising a drive shaft having universal joints, aportion of said drive shaft being telescopic. and means connected withsaid drive shaft for imparting the movement of the shaft to saidfriction disk.

ALEXANDER TRUCHOT.

Witnesses:

J. G. BAIR, VIOLA Emsmom.

by addressing the "Commissioner of ratentl, .0."

